Dune the Universal Schism
by Anton -The Guardian- Kupchenko
Summary: AU, Paul Atreides, newly crowned Emperor, disappears. Leaving no heir to the throne. Now, four houses, House Atreides, House Harkonnen, House Vernius, and House Corrino vie for control. The first great spice war has ended, and the next, is begining.
1. Introduction

Note: I do not own _anything_ in this story. All characters property of Frank Herbert, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. _No_ profit is being made from this.

It is the year 10,196 A.G. and the universe is ruled by the Padishah Emperor. The only problem at the moment is that there _is no_ Padishah emperor. After Paul "Muad'ib" Atreides took the Golden Lion throne from Shaddam Corrino IV by marrying his eldest daughter, Irulan, after a fierce battle between the Fremen and the imperial Sardaukar, he disappeared after controlling the Imperium for a fraction of a year. Leaving the Lady _Jessica_ in command of House Atreides. An unknown half-brother to Baron Harkonnen has just inherited the title. Countess Kailea Vernius II, a Ghola of the original, is now willing to go beyond the call of vengeance for her house, against the Atreides. Empress Irulan, now abandoned by Paul Atreides, is now seeking revenge for her loss. It is now time a new war, one that will ravage the galaxy a thousand times over. It is now time, for the Universal Schism. The four houses now remaining with enough competence, guile, resources and determination are; The _noble_ House Atreides of Caladan, The _amended _House Harkonnen of Geidi Prime, The _traitorous_ House Vernius of Ix and The _desecrated _House Corrino of Kaitan. All four are equally poised, all four are equally committed, and all four know the key to victory lies on a barren, vast, waterless world. The home of the Spice, _Melange._ The Spice extends life, the Spice expands consciousness, the Spice is vital to Space Travel, without it, the Imperium _will_ crumble. The Spice is found on only one planet in the universe. That world is known as _Arrakis_, more commonly known as: DUNE.


	2. Chapter 1 A new type of Baron

_Many things we do naturally become difficult only when we try to make them intellectual subjects. It is possible to know so much about a subject that you become ignorant._**- ****Mentat Text Two **

As the work crew of Krall Tuber planters continued their grueling work, the crew boss, Xavier Reffa was anxious. The sweltering heat made many collapse, and others lose their minds. Xavier stood amongst the many men that had, really, nothing else to do, save to be killed by Harkonnen soldiers. He was among his men, not working, but just watching, helping when anyone was hurt, or chastising another for taking a break when he could be killed. Xavier was not like the other crew bosses; he _actually _cared for his men. And the whole group seemed to run smoother, work harder, and produce more when they didn't have a gun at the back of their heads. In the black mud trenches, they planted spore after spore of tubers. The Geidi Prime day, consider one of the best in the past decade, had a dark overcast sky, and the greenhouse effect from the polluted atmosphere made the heat dangerous.

With heat distorted vision he saw an ornate ground-car approach, followed by a contingent of Sardaukar, _The__ Baron's self appointed body guard._ Xavier's mind raced, he knew that he was an illegitimate son of Dmitri Harkonnen, the Baron's father, but his mother wasn't the same, he had changed his name from Harkonnen to Reffa in order to hopefully through off the Baron. But, the Baron always knew about him, he had to, considering that he was the only other heir besides _Abulurd_, and Xavier had the same disposition as Abulurd, they were the only two Harkonnens to really be _happy _with their lives, a quality which the Baron hated, except that Xavier had some management skills, and would not lead house Harkonnen to its demise. A_bulurd_, the only other Harkonnen to be named after a despised ancestor. But neither Xavier nor Abulurd took their names as spite, more as if they were badges of honor. Xavier Harkonnen was regarded as one of humanity's greatest traitors. But Xavier didn't care, he wasn't him, he _was_ Xavier Reffa, not Harkonnen, but now, he feared for his life. The Baron coming directly to _him,_ the last heir besides the Baron's disgusting nephews. He was the last, after all, Abulurd's own son, the _Beast_ Glossu Rabban, had strangled him to death. He was the last one, alive. He trembled with fear, as a stocky young man strode up to Xavier, dressed in typical Harkonnen blue, gave him a metallic message cylinder. As Xavier fumbled to open the container he could feel his hairs stand up on the back of his neck. _The Baron is probably watching every second of this,_ he thought, _I hope the floating Fat Man enjoys it._ Once he finally got the message out he could barely hold it, the Messenger was fairly surprised, "It might help if you turn it right side up, my Na-Baron."

Xavier's eyes lit up and he shot a fearful at the man. "What did you just call me?"

"I called you, my Na-Baron."

_ This has to be a trick._ Xavier pondered _a test of my loyalty to the house. Or just a game that Harkonnens like to play with hapless prey._ "Are you saying," he pointed at the man, then the ground-car, "that I am the next Baron Harkonnen?" Xavier tensed up, expecting to be ambushed at any time.

While this happened, the work crew had gathered around, other bosses had come as well. Everyone had stopped working. All of them, thinking the same thing he was, he was either about to be killed, or kidnapped. The only sound was the muck flies, buzzing around everyone, sucking up their gleaming perspiration.

"Read the message, sire." The messenger uttered and then, after a slight bow, backed two paces in the black, grimy muck.

Xavier struggled to read the near alien _Galach_, the language of the Imperium. He was a crew boss in the middle of nowhere, _literally!_ He didn't bother learning the ways of off-worlders, and the upper class. He read through the fine-print and then came to the sentence, "_Should I, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and my current heir apparents, __be__ killed, I grant the title of Baron of House Harkonnen, to Xavier Harkonnen, or Reffa." _Singed_ Baron Vladimir Harkonnen._ He couldn't believe what he was reading, he was the _Baron_ Or was this just a clever ruse? He then said, "So, am I the Baron?"

"Yes, sire."

Xavier looked up from the paper, "So you're saying right now I can strike you across the face with this," he put his hand on his Inkvine whip, which he had never used, "and you wouldn't retaliate?"

"If you wish it to be so." The messenger wasn't lying; Xavier could see the fear in his eyes.

Xavier sighed, "I won't strike you, ever." He looked up and around the crowd that had assembled around him and the messenger. He then extended his hand to the messenger, offering a handshake, who then stepped back, "I wouldn't presume to sh-"

"I'm not going to disembowel you for shaking my hand."

"The last one would have."

"Well, I'm not the last Baron."

With reluctance the young man stepped forward, and clasped his fingers with Xavier's in the half handshake of the Imperium. "Now," Xavier asked, "is there any sort of initiation to become a Baron?"

The man was greatly relieved and said in a rush, "Only that you accompany us back to Harko city." He then looked at Xavier, "Is there something amiss, my lord?"

Xavier looked around at the work crews, "I want these men and their families' top notch jobs in the capital." The Messenger had a look on his face that sent Xavier sprawling into laughter. "I suppose that it is a great surprise to you then?"

"Yes, sire." It seemed that the messenger couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But that will have to wait; we're to depart for Harko immediately."

He looked around, "I'm a new type of Baron, one with mercy, and without malice." He got up out of the muck, and up onto the muddy ground, "Isn't Harko city half-way across the continent?"

"Yes my Baron." the messenger said with a smile that none had seen the likes of in Vladimir's time. "But all the more reason to start traveling now."


End file.
